Support Materials --

Math for All

Patterns, Patterns, Patterns

During this math program you will:

find out patterns are everywhere

discover that math is made up of patterns

see that math patterns help us understand the world

Activity #1

You've got it--pattern it!
In this activity, you will use household objects to make patterns. Start a pattern and then ask your child to continue the pattern, i.e., fork, spoon, fork, spoon--AB, AB, AB. For an older child make up patterns that are much more complex, i.e., AAB, ABC, ABB, then repeat the sequence in a variety of ways. Doing activities such as this prepares children to discover mathematical patterns more easily.
Materials:

silverware
toothpicks
cups and saucers
buttons
change such as pennies, nickels and dimes
Additional Activities:
Help your children find patterns in things around the house--brick walks, floor coverings, wallpaper, clothing--then encourage them to create their own patterns.

Activity #2

Pattern it--play it!
In this activity, you and your child will make a pattern by playing a game. You'll need 30 cards; 10 with a red dot, 10 with a yellow dot, 10 with a black dot. The dot goes on one side of the card, the other side remains blank! Shuffle the cards well.

To begin, give each of the two players 4 cards; leave the rest of the cards face down in a pile. At this point players decide what kind of pattern they want to make.

Players take tunrs putting one card down at a time in the agreed on pattern. If a player cannot follow the pattern, additional cards must be drawn from the pile until the pattern can be followed or until the pile is finished.

The player who gets rid of the cards in his or her hand first is the winner.
Materials:

30 small cards; red, yellow and black marking pens or crayons
Additional Activities:
Play this game using more cards and more than two players. You can create your own card designs--family names, numbers, letters--and make up your own rules.

Activity #3

What's My Pattern?
In this activity you will write your name on a grid over and over until the entire grid is filled. Then color the first letter of your name with your favorite color throughout the grid. Can you see a pattern? Usea different color for each letter of your name and see what patterns are formed.
Materials:

grid paper
pencils and crayons
Additional Activities:
Use grids of different sizes and other names. (Can you make a gift for someone by using that person's name as a pattern?)
Try this at home:

fold a paper in half and draw a pattern on one side. A pattern can consist of a series of numbers, shapes, colors, letters, etc.
Have your child copy it on the other side.
Then let your child make up a pattern for you to follow.